It is common practice for retailers to display relatively small, relatively expensive items of merchandise on a merchandise display hook (also known as display rod or display wire) mounted to a generally vertical display support, such as pegboard, slatwall (also known as slat board), horizontal bar or wire grid. The display hook allows a potential purchaser to view an item of merchandise prior to purchase. At the same time, the display hook permits the retailer to display multiple items of merchandise in a limited amount of space, thereby increasing the number of items available on the display support and reducing the need for store personnel to replenish the items. The large number of relatively small and relatively expensive items, however, makes the merchandise an attractive target for shoplifters.
Various locking devices for locking one or more items of merchandise on a merchandise display hook are known. Examples of locking devices that prevent the removal of all items of merchandise displayed on a display hook are shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,104,094 B2 issued to Zadak et al. and entitled MERCHANDISE LOCK BAR SYSTEM AND METHOD; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,622,979 B2 issued to Valiulis and entitled STEM AND SCAN LOCKING HOOKS. Each of those patents discloses a locking device for a display hook having a forward-extending rod, wherein the locking device is configured to be locked to the end of the rod opposite the display support. Examples of locking devices that prevent the removal of one or more items of merchandise displayed on a display hook are shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,392,673 B2 issued to Fawcett et al. and entitled LOCK MECHANISM FOR DISPLAY ROD; U.S. Pat. No. 7,197,902 B1 issued to Barkdoll and entitled DISPLAY LOCK SYSTEM; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,957,555 B1 issued to Nagel et al. and entitled LOCKING ATTACHMENT FOR PRODUCT DISPLAY HOOKS. Each of those patents discloses a locking device for a display hook having an upper rod and a lower rod on which the merchandise is suspended, wherein the locking device is configured to be movably retained on the upper rod and unlocked from the lower rod to position the locking device at a desired location relative to the items of merchandise. In this manner, a retailer may prevent a potential purchaser from accessing all or some of the items of merchandise without the assistance of store personnel.
Locking devices for display hooks having an upper rod and a lower rod (commonly referred to as “2-wire” display hooks) may be positioned adjacent the free end of the upper rod with the items of merchandise suspended from the lower rod between the locking device and the display support so as to prevent access to all of the items of merchandise. Alternatively, the locking device may be positioned at a medial location on the upper rod with at least some of the items of merchandise suspended from the lower rod between the locking device and the display support so as to prevent access to some of the items, while permitting the potential purchaser to access the remaining items without the assistance of store personnel. Many different types of 2-wire display hooks are available for use by retailers, and most retailers do not utilize locking devices on all display hooks. Accordingly, display hooks and locking devices are typically purchased separately. However, some of the 2-wire display hooks available to retailers include a lower rod that is shorter in length than the upper rod. As a result, it may be possible to maneuver a conventional locking device along the upper rod past the free end of the lower rod without unlocking the locking device from the lower rod. In this instance, a potential thief would have access to all of the items of merchandise suspended from the lower rod. The body of the locking device may be made thick enough to account for the difference in length between the upper rod and the shorter lower rod. However, the thicker body of the locking device would necessarily reduce the number of items of merchandise that could be displayed on a display hook having an upper rod and a lower rod of substantially equal length.
Accordingly, there exists a need for an improved locking device for locking items of merchandise on a merchandise display hook. There exists a further and more specific need for a locking device that is useable with a display hook having an upper rod and a lower rod of substantially equal length as well as a display hook having an upper rod and a lower that is shorter than the upper rod. There exists yet a further and more particular need for a locking device that accommodates a display hook having an upper rod and a lower rod that is shorter than the upper rod, while maximizing the number of items of merchandise that can be suspended from the lower rod and displayed on the display hook.